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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

This episode of Law & Order UK “Paradise” is based on the original Law & Order episode titled “Heaven “ from season 2. This is another week where the UK edition put forward an excellent retelling of the story, updating it to make it more relevant. They pairing of Walsh and Bamber continues to feel more comfortable every week, and we also get some interesting snippets thrown in about Brook’s personal history with his wife and drinking.

But what I really like with the UK version is the steely determination and prosecutorial passion of James Steel. Ben Daniels continues to capture the intensity of the role, and I think that he plays it perfectly. In this particular case, Steel is painted a man who has consistently put his job and career above his friends and family. Yet, I can see someone like Steel rationalizing that there is really no line separating the two – he must do his job well in order to protect family and friends and the lives that they live.

I find myself wondering, though, how the police in London were ever able to solve a crime without the ever-watchful eye of CCTV? It amazes me how much a person can be tracked.

Law & Order UK is taking these old cases and bringing new life to them – and doing an excellent job in the process. It will be interesting to see, if/when the show branches out to original storylines of its own, what kind of show it will become. I am looking forward to that day!

Here is the recap:A father and daughter are walking on a busy London street, looking for their parked car. They hear a noise, and see flames and smoke coming out of a building. Windows are breaking as people try to escape. Later, with the fire department on the scene, a fireman vomits. DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and DS Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) enter the burned out building, Devlin seemingly overcome by the smell. The enter, and find a row of bodies covered up, and Devlin says “God have mercy.”

Later, with fire officials investigating the scene, they believe this was a case of arson. The fire doors were padlocked shut, preventing escape. It was a social club used by the local Turkish community. There are 17 confirmed dead. DI Natalie Chandler (Harriet Walter) emphasizes it is an official major incident and she wants answers quickly. She wants them to get all the CCTV footage that they can find, but there are no cameras in the area. The place is called "Cennet" - the Turkish word for paradise

At Whittington hospital, the detectives are checking out those who were injured. A nurse (Susannah Wise) gives them a complete list of the injured. They try to talk to the person who runs the club, but he is being rushed to surgery. All he remembers is throwing a man, “Mickey”, out of the club for arguing with a waitress named Leyla. They ask the nurse to find the woman named Leyla, and she finds a Leyla Bilgin, who is being treated for minor burns. They find Leyla (Leila Farzad) in a hospital bed, and they ask to talk to her boyfriend Mickey, but she says he is not her boyfriend. She says he is an idiot, not a head case, and he would not have started the fire.Back at the Major Investigations Unit, they have Mickey (Jack Gordon) in interrogation. He says he just had a fight with Leyla. Devlin implies Mickey was trying to teach Leyla a lesson, but he denies he started the fire. He was at home at the time of the fire, with his Xbox, and he was playing the game all night. Afterwards, walking outside, Devlin says he doesn’t think Mickey is the arsonist. Brooks recalls a situation when he got irritated with his first wife and he thought he could torch the place with them both in it. Devlin reminds him it was long time ago and he was drinking, but Brooks says he wishes he had been.

Back at the unit, they get confirmation that Mickey’s Xbox was in use as he said. But Brooks said anybody could have been in his Xbox, but they are told his password was used. He left 14 voice mail messages on Leyla’s phone at the time and camera footage indicates he would have been in his flat at the time. Later, Devlin wonders if the arson was racially motivated. Chandler tells them they have a briefing in 20 minutes. A woman arrives, and identifies herself as Borsen Ozkan (Souad Faress), her son works in the club, and they won’t let her bury him as they say he is evidence. She brings out her son’s belongings, and a picture of her son, saying she wants them to know who he is. She wants them to find who did this as she sobs.

George Castle, Director of CPS London (Bill Paterson) is giving a television interview about the case as the detectives watch. He asks for anyone with information to step forward. Chandler enters and says they found traces of unleaded petrol - straight from the arsonist’s handbook. It is from a tube, a reservoir from a car used for window wiper fluid. It was likely inside someone’s pants, coming straight down the leg, leaving trails of gasoline. The man leasing the building pays rent to a complex holding company that will take time to unravel. Devlin comes in and tells them that someone came in to hospital with second-degree burns, with something stuck in his leg. When they told him they would remove it, the patient later left without having the procedure, leaving the “evidence” in his leg. The detectives tell the nurse want the x-ray and a full statement from her and she also tells them she got the man’s full name and address – Mousa on Hamley Street.

Brooks and Devlin speak with Mr. Mousa (Daniel Ben Zenou), and they ask him to see his leg to see if he has an injury, but he refuses to show them. After they explain the situation to him further, Mousa drops his pants, and they see there is no injury. Brooks tells him is appears that someone may be using his identity. He says it’s probably the man upstairs, who they think is breaking into their flats, but the police have said they can’t prove anything, his name is Nazim Kasaba (Nabil Elouahabi), who works in a hotel kitchen. Later, at the Highbury Barn Hotel, Brooks and Devlin enter the kitchen asking to see Kasaba, and Kasaba begins to run. Devlin catches up and grabs him, and Brooks pulls down his pants, showing the injury to his leg.

Back at the unit, Kasaba is in interrogation with his attorney. He seems to have no alibi, and CCTV has him on camera in the area at the time of the fire. They tell him they will accompany him to the hospital to get the piece in his leg, and he tells them he will not go to hospital. He knows his rights, and they won’t get that piece out of his leg without his consent. Later, Brooks review what they have with Chandler. There is no DNA on the scene and no motive is known. Devlin enters and tells them that he went through the hospital records, and that 16 of the dead and 19 of the injured don’t exist – there are no papers and they appear to be in the country illegally. Chandler wants to go to the CPS to help get the evidence out of his leg. Later, while Brooks and Devlin discuss the whole illegal immigration issue Devlin gets a message saying James Steel is going to help to try to get the evidence from Kasaba's leg.

In Central Criminal Courts, James Steel (Ben Daniels) is asking for the order to obtain the evidence. The defense attorney thinks Steel’s actions are shameful, and the judge doesn’t agree with Steel’s argument that he needs the evidence to help solve all the arson deaths. She refuses his application as she does not want to violate human rights.

Afterwards, Steel has given the bad news to Mrs. Ozkan, whose son was killed in the fire, and she is outraged, saying that her son’s human rights were ignored. She says they don’t care about those killed because they are not British. Steel vows he will do something about this, and there is no prejudice in the law. Devlin then gets a call telling them that Kasaba was just carted off in an ambulance and this may be a break for them. Back at the hospital, Kasaba is being wheeled in, they are told he has sepsis from the injury in his leg. After Devlin and Brooks wait in the hall, the doctor comes out and gives them the piece of “evidence” that was in Kasaba's leg. Later, in forensics, Devlin is told that it matches the same plastic as the remnants found in the club. The piece also still had petrol on it. Devlin tells him he just made a lot of people happy. Back at the hospital, Brooks and Devlin talk with Kasaba who is out of surgery. Brooks tells Kasaba they thought he would like to know that they are going to charge him with 17 counts of murder.

At Marble Arch, Castle talks to Steel and Phillips (Freema Agyeman) about the case and getting a conviction. Steel says they still need a motive and Phillips says no one knows anything and there is no sign of mental illness.

At hospital, Kasaba’s lawyer tells Steel and Phillips that Kasaba did not intend to kill anyone, he was acting on instructions from another party. Steel isn’t buying all of it and the charge stays at murder, but if he cooperated the judge will take that into account at sentencing. Kasaba says it was only supposed to be a warning, he didn’t know that the fire doors would be padlocked. He asks them not to do this – don’t get him killed. If he talks they will have a duty to protect him, but Steel tells him to be a man and consider the victims. Kasaba says he owed his people a lot of money and that he would do this to settle the debt. The instructions were given by the man who smuggled the people over who were at the club. When Phillips asks who smuggled them over, he says they paid 5 thousand pounds for transport and papers, but the latest batch didn’t have the proper papers for them and they threatened to tell the police about him. He identifies the man behind this as Ediz Kilic Steel looks stunned.

Back at CPS, Castle tells them that Kilic won the London businessman of the year award, 2 years running, and is a pillar of the London community. Castle is having a hard time believing that Kilic would be involved in this. They tell Castle it does not seem to be a racially motivated death, and Steel says they are just following the evidence. Phillips tells them that Kasaba said Kilic keeps and office in the back of a sport shop and Kilic keeps an office there. They want to take a look at the place, and Castle gives them the OK to search the shop.

At the shop called Trackers Need, they are told by the owner that he doesn’t know Kilic, that it is a sport shop. As the shop manager continues his denials, Devlin and Brooks begin to pick up golf clubs and golf balls and begin to throw them around, breaking glass. Philips tells him that 17 people are dead and he is protecting the people responsible. The shop owner caves and says Kilic keeps and office out back.

Later, back at CPS, Phillips brings back a box of things just from one drawer from that office, papers that could confirm the people smuggling. Steel wonders how Kilic is able to forge the documents. One name keeps popping up, and it’s someone Steel knows from university – a UK arrival official by the name of Faruk Osman (Selva Raslingham).

At the UK Arrivals Agency, Steel and Phillips meet with Faruk Osman. They explain that the victims were in the country illegally, and Steel shows him his name on the forged documents, seeming to originate from his office. Faruk is a bit flustered, he says he will get on to it right away.

Outside, Steel tells Phillips to dig up all she can on Faruk and see if he has any business connections to Kilic. Philips says Steel is brutal as Faruk is his friend, but he says he wants her to be doubly thorough. She asks if this has anything to do with his race, and he says he is not, it is to do with the facts, not that he is a Turk. Later in the office, Phillips shows Steel a news story and a picture with Faruk and Kilic standing next to each other, their arms around each other. It is from a Turkish London newspaper. She says it does not prove his involvement. Steel takes the article and photo to Faruk, and Faruk says it was just a dinner, everyone wants a picture with everyone else, and that Steel should just say what he thinks – that if he sees him with another Turkish businessman does that mean he is corrupt? Faruk tells him he Kilic helped him get his first job and he helped a lot of people. Steel presses and asks if Farouk ever did anything for Kilic in return, and despite Farouk’s protests Steel continues to press, saying this could end up with a jury. Faruk says Steel never changes, friendship, marriage, all come second place to Steel. Steel says he needs to be certain he has no connection, and Faruk asks how can he prove something that did not happen, or prove a non-connection. Steel says he has to be sure, and Farouk orders Steel out of his office.

Later, in George Castle’s office, Steel is telling him that he can’t believe Faruk is involved. Phillips enters, and says that after looking at phone records, she thinks she finally has something on Kilic. She cross referenced the times and dates that CCTV found him in the office with the times and dates on the phone, and she has him inside the building at the same time he made a call to a suspected arsonist, Freddie, who is on parole. Police got a statement from him saying he told him Kilic how to start the fire, including padlocking the doors. Kilic wanted to protect the people from speaking out. Castle tells them to bring Kilic in, and Phillips knows exactly where to find him.

At the Royal and Colonial Club, Phillips and Steel arrive and they are told the club room is only open to members. Steel says he is a member, but the man tells him that Steel is aware of their rules governing…and Phillips fills in the word “blacks”. The man corrects her, saying, “girls.” Philips says she thinks he means “women.” Steel says they needs two minutes with Kilic and the members will understand. They approach Kilic (Ken Bones) and Kilic tells them they have a lot of nerve. Steel introduces themselves, and Kilic tells them to make an appointment with his office. Steel says out of respect, he is making it look like he is begging, he has to ask them to leave with them, but if he does not, the police are waiting outside, which does he prefer?

At the CPS, Kilic is there with his lawyer, denying everything. They bring out the facts regarding Nazim and Freddie, and he says their stories are lies. Steel says he saw the claw marks where people tried to claw their way out of the burning building, and smelled the burned flesh. Kilic says this is a mistake asks how he can make this right. He says he would not do this to his people. Kilic’s lawyer says the evidence from known arsonists won’t be believed by the jury.

Later, Castle says Kilic’s attorney may be right. Castle says they need people to say in court what kind of person Kilic really is. Castle gets a phone call, and tells Steel he has a visitor. It’s Faruk, who says he went back through his department’s records, 3 years ago before he was managing, and found one of his employees was dismissed for stealing office property - stamps for the inside of passports. His referee for his original application was Kilic. His name is Gerald Lindon, and when Steel thanks him for the information, Faruk comments to Steel that the man was not Turkish and even non-Turks can be corrupt. Steel tries to tell him he wasn’t suggesting that, he had a duty to investigate the case. Faruk is incensed with Steel, saying that he is now under internal investigation. Steel said he had to look at every angle, but Faruk says he never thought he would come second, and no wonder Steel’s wife left him. When Steel says he will talk to Castle to see if he can talk with his boss on Faruk’s behalf, but Faruk declines the offer and tells Steel not to contact him any more.

Outside, Steel and Phillips are walking, and Steel says his wife used to say he was too pious for his own good, just before she threw a plate of toast at him. Phillips tries to reassure him he didn’t do anything wrong, she says they have to remain impartial. He asks her if that ever bothers her boyfriend, and she asks, “What boyfriend?”, saying it ended for months ago. He apologizes, saying he is officially rubbish – and she agrees. She thinks Faruk will come around, and they shouldn’t let his information go to waste. She tells them she will go talk to Gerald Lindon.

She talks to Lindon (David Maybrick), and he says he used to run errands for a while for Kilic, and Kilic suggested he applied for the immigration job, and offered him 10 grand for the passport stamps and forms. He said Kilic bought his old car from him a few weeks ago when Lyndon was going through a rough patch. Phillips wonders what he would do with the car, and he suspects it was for the old parts. At a repair shop, she is told Kilic is a regular customer, and shows him a car that Kilic still has there where the have used old parts. He points out that the washer line has been ripped out.

Back in Castle’s office, they refer to Phillip’s find the smoking gun, the piece from the car she discovered at the shop matches what they found at the fire and in Kasaba’s leg. Kilic apparently never trusted others to do his dirty work, except in the case of Kasaba. They already have Kasaba’s guilty pleas, and wonder if Kilic will do the same.

At Central Criminal Courts, Steel and Phillips are going through documents, ad Steel finds that the stolen passport stamp had expired,. Yet Kilic continued to bring in people and take their money, killing them to cover it up. Kilic committed an atrocity and Steel says he must be held responsible.

At Crown v Kilic, Kilic is on the stand, and Steel asks him to explain the evidence about smuggling in the people, from those involved and families. He denies it all. He says he only wanted to help them get a better life. Despite Steel pressing him hard, Kilic says he is a man of honor and principle. Steel asks him, as a man of honor, how his prints and DNA were found on the wiper fluid tank should have been?

Later, the jury reads the verdict back on every charge, and Kilic is found guilty for all victims, as the courtroom gallery erupts with joy. Afterwards, the camera pans on the burned out gutted building, and then to a shrine of candles outside, where Mrs. Ozkan is there. Steel approaches her, and she gently touches him and smiles at him, then leaves him to stand there alone as he gazes at the flickering candles, as we fade to black.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

A few cast members from the Law & Order franchise were in attendance at the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards, which was held at the Marriott Marquis on March 28, 2009 in New York City. Enjoy the photos of Chris Noth (along with Hedda Lettuce...I kid you not!), S. Epatha Merkerson, and Judith Light.

The article is below. One other thing it mentions is that it's a certainty that Michaela McManus will not return to Law & Order SVU (NBC), much to my delight. Here is the story, and feel free to join in the speculation.

Someone's going to die on the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit finale. But being the shameless scoop hounds we are, we're trying to solve the crime before it happens. We interrogated show runner Neal Baer for some clues.

Someone's a Goner! This is the single tidbit of spoilery goodness we all know already! So who might not survive the season-10 finale? When we asked Neal if we'd be losing a series regular, he would only say this: "It's a castmember." Hmmm, does that mean it could be one of the less important players, like, say, forensics tech Ryan O'Halloren (Mike Doyle)?

SVUers Take the Case: Neal wouldn't confirm that the death is a sex-related crime, but he did tell us, "The detectives will be involved in solving the case." So will the investigation carry on into season 11? Is there any chance this character might return? "No, [the] death is permanent." But the emotional impact for the crew definitely carries into next year.

Munch Is Out? For some reason, Detective Munch's (Richard Belzer) name always comes up whenever the talk turns to SVU departures. Could it finally be time? Being the slick exec that he is, when asked if Munch were leaving, Neal played coy, saying, "I hope not. Well, we'll see." Doesn't sound like much of a denial or a confession, but come on, you wouldn't do that to us, would you, Neal? SVU just wouldn't be the same without the dynamic duo of Munch and Fin (Ice-T)!

SVU's A.D.A. Overload! Alex Cabot has been back for a few weeks now, and when we asked Neal about Stephanie March's future on SVU, he told us: "Stephanie is in the next-to-the-last episode; she's not in the last episode." So if her arc wraps just before the finale, could her body could be found at the end of that episode, leaving Benson and Stabler and the gang to solve their good friend's death in true finale form? We could be reaching, but it doesn't seem impossible!

Neal did say that you never know what the future holds. "About five years ago, she was gone! She was in witness protection and she got out, so life is unpredictable."

Neal did confirm that Michaela McManus won't be back on SVU, but also that the door is not entirely closed on that other A.D.A. we all love, Diane Neal's Casey Novak. "Well, she was disbarred for a year but as I said, life is unpredictable." We're not math whizzes, but if you carry the two and divide by the...hey, that year off would be wrapping up right about now!

Academy Award Winner X: One last thing, Neal mentioned another very special guest star coming up. We can't name names just yet, but he reveals that "an Oscar-winning performer is coming on in the next-to-the-last episode." Perhaps it's an Oscar winner hoping to get some Emmy consideration for playing the person who murders an SVU castmember? (We're just throwing that out there...)

Since NBC has dropped the show “Chopping Block” they have decided that, in its place, it will re-air some of the Law & Order Criminal Intent episodes that were originally aired on the USA Network. So start looking for LOCI to show up on Wednesday’s NBC schedule at starting on April 1. And that is no April Fool's joke.

Law & Order UK “Paradise” Air Date March 30, 2009 (Not airing in the US)

An arson attack on a Turkish social club leaves 17 people dead and Brooks, Devlin and Chandler fearing the crime was racially motivated. They uncover a trail of false identities, but face opposition from a respected barrister when they need to remove a key piece of evidence from a suspect's leg. Meanwhile, Steel is forced to confront one of his oldest friends. Guest starring Charles Kay, with Bradley Walsh and Jamie Bamber.

Law and Order SVU ‘Hell” Air Date March 31, 2009A YOUNG FEMALE REFUGEE IS FOUND BRUTALLY INJURED, CLAIMING THE DEVIL HAS ATTACKED HER.

A young girl, Miriam Burdett (guest star Julyza Commodore), is found in an alley, with her throat cut and evidence of repeated rape and physical abuse. When asked to write who attacked her, because of her inability to speak, she draws a picture of the devil. When Detective Munch (Richard Belzer) investigates, he finds several reports of a local priest, Father Theo Burdett (guest star Robert Wisdom), who neighbors claim is a devil worshipper. Also starring: Richard Belzer (Detective John Munch), Dann Florek (Captain Donald Cragen), Ice-T (Detective Odafin Tutuola), Michaela McManus (A.D.A Kim Greylek), Stephanie March (ADA Alexandra Cabot), Tamara Tunie (Dr. Melinda Warner), and B.D. Wong (Dr. George Huang).

Thursday, March 26, 2009

This week’s episode of Law & Order (NBC) “Anchors Away” provided us with 2 murders, with a competitive newsroom and a fraudulent hedge fund as backdrops. I actually liked this episode because there wasn’t just one murderer here, and they blended in the newsroom angle and the financial scandal very well. I admit that at first I though Frederic Matson was going to have some sort of mental incapacitation as he seemed a little dense, but he was really only protecting his wife. But, both he and his wife showed very clearly that besides loving each other, they loved their money and their lifestyle just as much, and their daughter seemed to be inconsequential. The ending was sad, as it was the daughter, who had put all her trust into her parents, was ultimately left her high and dry by them in more ways than one.

I was actually chuckling at the news anchor Joe Delaney who seemed have a little bit of the “Ted Baxter” flair (from the old Mary Tyler Moore show). He seemed more comical and played the pompous jerk very well. It seemed clear that he wouldn’t be the murderer, as he seemed too inept to have been able to pull it off. Granted, the self-absorbed male anchor and the overly competitive female anchor were stereotypical.

The case was a little unusual in the fact that they spent very little time in court. It actually seemed to make the episode move very quickly. I think this season the writing has greatly improved, with the dialog seeming very natural and many times enhancing the chemistry between the characters. I thought that Bernard's banter with the female computer tech seemed well placed and natural. Lupo and Bernard are turning into a comfortable, albeit low-key team. The dialog with the prosecutors is also working well, and I think that I am enjoying Jack McCoy - and Sam Waterston - even more in his new role as DA. Cutter seemed much more on the ball in this episode, although Jack still seems to need to nudge him into the right direction.

Here is the recap:

At a zoo, a reporter, Dawn Prescott (Audra Blaser) from Channel 8 News, is doing a live story. The TV anchors make some comments after her story. After the story is over, she seems annoyed at the anchors. Walking out of the zoo with her cameraman, he offers her a ride home but she says she will just hop a cab. She sees something, and then asks the cameraman if he minds walking with her, and she looks off, worried. Cut to her blood spattered apartment, the police and Detectives Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) and Bernard (Anthony Anderson) on the scene. Dawn is dead, shot in the head, the cleaning lady finding her body. The blood is not dry, so her death is recent, maybe about 11:00 PM. No forced entry. Bernard finds a jewelry box on the floor but it does not appear a much is missing from it. Her computer is missing. Bernard thinks he sees a palm print on the desk where the computer had been. Bernard quips that now she’s the story.

At Channel 8 News, news anchor Joe Delaney (David Rasche), his co-anchor at his side, report Dawn’s “shocking” murder, and express their sympathies. They ask viewers with any information to call the NYPD tip line. Off camera, the detectives speak with the director; he tells them how much viewers loved Dawn and that she was the “total package.” He said there didn’t seem to be any dangerous stories she was working on. He didn’t think she used notebooks any more since the “suits” put her on the cute and fuzzy beat. Before that she was covering places like City Hall. When Lupo asks her why she was demoted, the director asks them if they are kidding, hadn’t they seen the pictures?

Back at the 2-7, they are looking at pictures of Dawn in a bathing suit, and when Lt. Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson) sees the picture, she asks them to tell her it’s evidence. Lupo explains the pcitures are of the victim. She emailed some photos of herself to Al Lee, a reporter at another station, and didn’t realize that Lee shared his email address with his wife Sharon. Sharon answered back with a terse response, threatening Dawn that she would strangle her if she contacted her husband again. The pictures and email got leaked to a gossip website. Bernard says Prescott’s boss said she had brains too, and Van Buren says she thinks she sees them.

At the apartment of Al and Sharon Lee, Al says there was no affair, it was a misunderstanding. She may have had a crush on him. Sharon believed him, and she and Dawn cleared the air after it got on the web. Al said it hurt his career as well. When his wife overhears Al say that he had a drink with Dawn at a liquor company press conference, Sharon gets very agitated. He says they only talked for a minute. She got a phone call and she had rushed out, she wouldn’t tell him. She called the guy she talked to “Steven.”

Outside, Lupo is asking someone to check all Dawn’s call records for anyone named Steve or Steven, but she made 100 calls a day so it may take some time. Bernard thought Mrs. Lee was going to commit a homicide right in front of them but they don’t think she is the killer. Lupo says whoever leaked the stuff to the web site messed up Dawn’s career.

At the apartment of Stan Berry, who has a gossip web site, he says he doesn’t know who sent the information to him and he is protected by the First Amendment and he has press credentials from the police department. Lupo gets mouthy with him, telling him those credentials can be taken away at any time. Berry says he doesn’t know who sent them, it was sent anonymously. Bernard wants the date and time of the email and the name of the account.

Later at “News on 8” they question co-anchor Sue Martin (Jennifer Mudge) and they tell her the emails came from her computer. She is shocked and said she never saw those photos. The photos were sent on January 19, and she was in Washington covering the inauguration. She hardly uses her computer because it has a virus and locks up and eats files, and Bernard asks to borrow it, and she lets them.

A female forensics person comes up to give them information about the computer, and Lupo ribs her that Detective Bernard has a special interest in the case. She said there is no virus on the computer but there is a sophisticated keystroke logger which tracks everything the person enters, which could allow someone to get access to her computer. They suspect this program was also on Dawn’s computer and that is how they got the pictures. The passwords were sent to the person’s email address.

They are at the office of Joe Delaney, confronting him about the spyware. He admits what he did was stupid. He got carried away, he said it was self defense. He has been anchoring for 32 years and has won every award in town. When he went in for cocaine rehab in 1986, the station got 12,000 letters asking for him to come back. But Lupo reminds him this is the present, and Dawn and Sue are fresher, younger faces. Joe adds they are also cheaper, and his contract renewal is coming up. He wanted to know what they were saying about him. He said Dawn was stupid to send out the pictures. He deleted a few emails off the computers but he also printed them off, and he hands a huge folder to Lupo.

Back at the 2-7, they look through all the emails. Lupo finds one to Dawn from someone saying he never heard from Sue, and he had a tip that Frederic Matson, a seemingly successful man on Wall Street, but his hedge fund is a fraud. The write of the email says if Dawn responds, she can refer to him as “Steven”. He told her to be discreet, as breaking the story will make some people broke and very angry.

At the offices of Frederic Matson, they speak with his daughter (Maggie Lacey), and she brings them in to her father and his wife is also there. Matson (Edward Herrmann) suggests that his wife Irene (Jill Eikenberry) leave. They ask him about Dawn and tell him she may be working on a story, but she never spoke with him. He seems to think this just a typical accusation. The only Steven he knows is Spielberg, he is on the board of his foundation.

Back at the 2-7, they see a list of complaints made by people to the SEC. There is no one on the list named Steve. Lupo sees a name – Vince Decker – that is on the SEC list and on Dawn’s call records. Bernard says he was a former employee of Matson’s company, and Decker alleged wrongdoing at the firm, but Matson filed a cross complaint accusing him of embezzling. The SEC referred it to the Distinct Attorney, and Lupo searches their records. He finds the case, the embezzling charge was never pursued, but it was just enough to undercut Decker to the SEC. There is a flag next to Decker’s name from Hastings PD – Vincent Decker was murdered last week.

At the Hastings Police Department in Westchester, NY, a detective tells them Decker was shot by a 9mm in his own back yard but it did not seem to be a robbery. Prescott had called him asked about Decker and said she was going to do a story on him but he never saw the story. Back at the 2-7, the detectives review what they know with Van Buren. They can’t tell if Matson knew about her story. They find that Sue Martin had recently pulled her account from Matson’s company, so they wonder if Dawn told Sue, but Lupo doubts it. They watch a video on line of Joe Delaney doing an interview with Matson. Later, in Delaney’s office, Lupo questions him on his contact with Matson. He asks if he knew Dawn was working on the story, but he says no. Bernard is talking with Sue, who also denies knowing anything, she says she pulled her money out of her account because she is remodeling her kitchen. Bernard sees a story on the screen saying that Matson’s fund is now suspending withdrawals. Lupo walks in with Joe, and asks her if she saw the story. He asks Sue if Joe told her that story was supposed to be hers. He hadn’t. They tell her about the keystroke program on her computer and that Delaney did it. She gets upset with him. She admits that Delaney told her that Dawn came to him and she was working on a big story about Matson and he didn’t want her to be a hero. Delany said she had agreed. Joe told Sue he would make it a “non-story” and that he warned Matson what Dawn was up to.

Later, at Matson’s office, things are in frenzy. The detectives ask to see Matson, and his daughter takes them in to see him. He is there with his wife. He says he confesses – to fraud. His wife is stunned. He says it is all a sham, and they should arrest him, so Bernard cuffs him.

At the 2-7 in interrogation, Matson says he never met Dawn and he didn’t kill Decker. He says his company was a ponzi scheme. Matson’s attorney (Christopher Evan Welch) arrives and asks to be left alone with his client. On the other side of the glass, Van Buren tells ADA Rubirosa (Alana De La Garza) that Matson begged the detectives to bring him in. Rubirosa tell her to book him on the fraud, for now.

In arraignment court, and Matson’s lawyer says Matson does not want bail, so the judge remands him. In EADA Cutter’s (Linus Roache) office, he wonders what Matson is trying to pull. He wonders if Matson is going into jail for protection. He may know who did it and is afraid he will be next. They decide to look at Matson’s investors, and Cutter sees the name Livan Santana, the front man for the Columbian cartel.

At Santana’s (Felix Solis) office, they ask him about Decker and Prescott. He said Decker and Prescott were both a pain in the ass. He would like to strangle Matson.

In jail, Cutter and Rubirosa talk with Matson, and they tell him the think Santana is why he wanted to be in protective custody. His lawyer asks them to pretend that is all true, and it Matson testifies that Santana was aware that Prescott and Decker were jeopardizing his investments and Santana would take care of it, what happens to the fraud charge, Cutter says it could be reduced. Matson also asks for protection for his family.

Later, in DA Jack McCoy’s (Sam Waterston) office, he says the deal is out of the question. Citizens would be outraged if they made a deal, and Cutter should find another way. McCoy asks them what is Matson’s soft spot, and it seems to be Matson’s family. McCoy suggests they arrest them, and if they give them what they need, to let them go. They were both involved in the business, and they need to find some evidence.

At Matson’s townhouse, they are searching the home. Bernard sees Matson’s checkbook and Mrs. Matson wrote some of the checks. Even though they were Christmas checks, it is good enough so they can arrest her. Later in jail, Cutter tells Mrs. Matson and her attorney the checks make her an accomplice in her husband’s business, but her attorney says they should be ashamed. He knows they just want her to pressure her husband to testify without the deal. Rubirosa gets a message, shows it to Cutter, and Cutter abruptly ends the meeting.

Back at the 2-7, Van Buren tells them they got Irene Matson’s prints when she was booked. They match the prints found in Dawn Prescott’s apartment – where someone leaned over to unplug Dawn’s missing computer. Van Buren says there is more. They checked Mrs. Matson’s cell phone, and its GPS chip puts her on Prescott’s block at the time she got a call – from her daughter.

Later, Rubirosa and Cutter talk to the daughter about her about her call to her mother, and she says this is not a good time. There are other people in her apartment, they are other investors. She says this whole thing has to be a mistake, his father would not steal their money. They ask her about the call she made to her mother, and she said her mother had felt ill and she was just checking up on her. She said her mom was in bed with a good book. Her mom’s house phone didn’t answer so she called the cell phone, and what difference doe sit make?

Later, Irene Matson is being arraigned for conspiracy to fraud, and Cutter and Rubirosa enter, Cutter telling the judge they are withdrawing those charges as they now intend to charge her with murder.

Back in McCoy’s office, they suspect Irene killed to protect the family business. But, she has an alibi for when Decker was killed, so Santana may have done that one – and he’s fled the country. Did Irene know Prescott was working on an expose? Rubirosa says that Sue Martin had told them Joe Delaney had warned her, and when McCoy asks who that is, Cutter turns on the news, where Joe and Sue are on, and Cutter says, “Those idiots.”

At the Channel 8 news studio, Cutter and Rubirosa talk with Delaney. They tell him Martin said he ratted to Matson but he denies it. He tries to claim that his confidentiality is protected, but Cutter reminds him that HE was the one talking to Matson. Delaney still refuses to discuss it. Outside, they speak with Martin, and she says Delaney was trying to screw up the story, and why do they need to know this for their case for Mrs. Matson? When she asks if they spoke with Delaney off the record, Cutter says no, and she says that Delaney is now obstructing a murder prosecution and what are they going to do about it? Cutter asks if they can go on background now, and tells Martin they are considering prosecuting Delaney for murder as his talking to Matson put Dawn’s life in danger and that is reckless endangerment - homicide. Rubirosa asks if Dawn told Delaney her source had been murdered, and Martin says that he is sure she did, she was running around looking upset. Martin asks if anyone else knows about this, and Cutter tells her it’s an exclusive. Martin seems thrilled.

Later, Delaney storms into Cutter’s office, demanding to know what Cutter told Martin. Cutter says it is journalistic privilege. Delaney is enraged and wants to know what Cutter wants from him and that a murder case won’t hold up. Cutter says it would be fun to try. Delaney sits down, and talks about an award he won for the fall of Saigon, and now he makes happy talk with morons in low cut dresses. His career has been dead for a long time, he just hasn’t had the decency to bury it. He asks Cutter what he needs him to say.

Outside, Rubirosa and Cutter walk with Jack. Cutter tells him they have Delaney’s testimony. He told Matson what Dawn was working on and there is no doubt he passed that along to his wife – no reasonable doubt. They are checking her wardrobe for traces of blood and the homes for the gun. McCoy quips, “So, she goes up for 25 to life, for piling accounts on Matson, two of his investors killed themselves, he’ll do a thousand years.” Cutter responds, “That love story ends at Sing Sing..” Rubirosa gets a call - it’s Matson.

Later, at Rikers, Matson is prepared to testify about Santana, saying Santana killed Decker AND Prescott. Cutter seems to think this testimony is convenient. Matson says Santana said that Dawn would be dealt with. He says his wife Irene knew nothing about Dawn’s story.

As they leave, Rubirosa says they still have the evidence against Irene – cell phone the palm print. And Santana can get people killed even in prison and Matson knows this, his testimony could be suicide. Rubirosa adds Matson must really love his wide and it’s touching, Cutter notes that Irene loves her husband too.

Later, in Cutter’s conference area, they have Matson, Irene, and their lawyer present. They tell Irene that Santana made incriminating statements to her husband about both murders. Cutter says he needs Matson to sign a statement, and Irene wants to know what he is talking about. When Rubirosa tells her Matson agrees to testify against Santana, Irene becomes very concerned. He says he knows what he is doing, but she says they will kill him. She says Santana never said anything. She sat in on every meeting with them and Santana never said anything like that. He tells her to let it go, and he won’t let her go to prison. She tells them she went to see Dawn, she knew what she was doing, she offered her money but she just wanted the story and wouldn’t listen to reason. She just wanted to destroy them and she could not let that happen, confessing.

Afterwards, it’s Delaney and Martin on the TV news again, and Martin is telling Delaney he is going to be missed. He says he will miss the news too, he says he is thinking of writing a book about the justice system. McCoy turns off the TV, saying that’s a book he is not going to read. As Cutter leaves McCoy’s office, he sees Rubirosa who is there with the Matson’s daughter. She says she is being threatened but doesn’t know by whom. McCoy hears this, and suggests maybe she needs to get out of town. But she had no money, it was invested in her father’s hedge fund. Rubirosa says she will walk her down to victim’s services. As they both walk off, McCoy says, “Nice parents, huh?” Cutter responds, “They love each other, but they don’t love anyone else” as we fade to black.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Here are some pictures of the stars of Law & Order SVU (NBC) - Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni - on the set of Law & Order SVU while they were filming in Harlem on March 24. Also included is the guest star of the episode being filmed – Hillary Duff.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

This episode of Law & Order UK “Buried” was based on the US episode titled “In Memory Of” from season 2. The UK version stayed true to the original, with the exception of the manner in which they recovered the memories of a young girl who witnessed a murder, and a slight deviation on the location of the murder.

This episode seemed a little choppy to me, however. The was the first episode where I think the story seemed flat. It’s good to see that Steel is turning out to be quick to anger, and he’s not afraid to get in someone’s face. Even Jack McCoy wasn’t always so confrontational.

Here’s the recap:Some renovations are going on inside a home. When one worker opens up a wall, skeletal remains are found. Later, DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and DS Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) are called to the scene. The body is of a boy, about 8-9 years old. The skull has a massive fracture, likely from a hit to the head. Based on an object found with the body, it looks like the body was there for at least 20 years.

Back at the station, Brooks and Devlin review what they know with DI Natalie Chandler (Harriet Walter). The home was privately owned in 1995 and there was no list of tenants. They checked out missing children database for the times in question, and find a young 8 year old male went missing on July 16, 1983, Thomas Keegan, who lived on the same street of the house where the body was found. The missing boy had a broken collarbone. The boy’s mother and father are Phillipa and Arthur Keegan, but the boy’s father died the year before the boy went missing. The investigating officer on the missing child case was DS Jeffrey McFadden, and they had a suspect, Edward Connor. Devlin gets a call that confirms the boy in the wall also had a broken collar bone.

The detectives speak with Jeffrey McFadden (Christopher Fairbank), who is out fishing. He recalls the missing boy well. They tell him they found the body. He said Edward Connor was the likely suspect but they couldn’t nail him and he had no solid alibi. McFadden clearly had issues with Connor. They had searched Connor’s house and got nothing. Connor later changed his name and went off the radar. They felt like they had the right guy even though they missed the corpse.

As they walk off, Devlin is critical of McFadden, calling him the crappiest copper he’s ever met. Brooks is a little less harsh, and he decides they should talk to Tommy’s mother. At the home of Phillipa Keegan (Barbara Martin) , they give her the news. She had been waiting for that news but still was trying to be hopeful.. She did not think it was Edward Connor who killed Tommy. She recalls the day he went missing she dropped him off at school – she didn’t kiss him because she didn’t want to embarrass him – it was her teaching training day so he was going to a friend’s for tea. When she came to pick him up, she was told that the boys had argued and Tommy went home. The key was under the mat so he could let himself in, but he wasn’t at home. She checked with the neighbors and then called the police. She stayed in that house for 20 years, just in case. They look at a picture of Tommy, with a cross hanging over the frame.

Afterwards, Devlin asks Brooks how Tommy’s mother can still believe in God after what happened. Brooks says it sounds like Devlin won’t be lighting a candle for Tommy, but then adds he already has, hasn’t he? Devlin says ‘Once a Catholic…” Brooks says it doesn’t to any harm to throw in the old prayer.

Back at that station, Devlin tell Chandler they are still trying to track down the tenants. Brooks has found that found Vernon Mortimer, who retired in 2005, who could have stayed in touch with Connor. The find that Vernon is not at the location they were given, he moved out a year ago, but he left his flat to his daughter, Julia (Holly Aird). They track her down, and she is working at a flower shop. They tell her about Tommy, and she says Tommy was her friend. They ask her about the day he went missing. Her mother would not let her go to their friend’s home that day because she wasn’t feeling well. Her dad made her tea and sandwiches, and she went to bed and didn’t wake up until the next morning when the police asked to talk to her. They ask about Edward Connor but she didn’t see him either. They ask if they can speak with her parents, and she tells them they moved out of London and live in Lewis.

Later, at her parent’s home, they talk with Julia’s parent Vernon (Keith Barron) and Catherine Mortimer (Margot Leicester). Connor changed his name to Ralph Drake and he wrote several children’s books under that name. She kept track of him as she felt he was the one who did it. She says Connor was a volunteer at a church youth group, and three months after Tommy disappeared he was accused of propositioning a 12 year old boy from there. Vernon seems to be annoyed at his wife’ comments.

At the home of Edward Connor (Anthony Higgins), he thinks he has been unfairly targeted because he was gay. He says he and Tommy chatted on the steps and he went in and left him playing football but when he came back out later he was gone. When Devlin asks if that was all, Connor sarcastically tells them that he killed Tommy, and Devlin says that is not funny. He said McFadden kicked the shit out of him and only stopped when he was bloodied and he told McFadden he had AIDS. But he had no alibi, Conner’s lover was married.

Back at the station, they discuss how McFadden was so fixated on persecuting Connor he took his eye off the ball. They have nothing else to go on. But Devlin starts to read over some comments out loud, and asks if they ring any bells. Brooks says it’s the same as the statement they took from Julia Mortimer that day. But Devlin says he’s wrong, they are her comments from 1983, and they are virtually identical, word for word. They suspect she is lying.

They go back to talk to her at Fleurs Du Jour, and they talk to her about her statement in 1983. But they said one of her ex-neighbors said they saw her with Tommy. She gets upset and says what happened to Tommy was in the past, and she walks off. They think she has something to hide.

Later, in the office of Dr. Elizabeth Rawls (Nimmy March), she says it was possible someone coaxed Julia into believing what she was saying was true and the real memory may be too hard to process. She suggests a process called EMDR where the patient follows an object with their eyes, to help retrieve lost memories. Afterward at the station, Brooks is skeptical about the process but Devlin thinks they should go with it. Brooks says if it will give Tommy’s mother peace they can go with it but first that have to convince Julia Mortimer. Back at the flower shop, Julia insists she has no bad memories, but Brooks says she is their only hope, but it is her choice. She says she keeps seeing Tommy’s face, frightened, calling out her name, but she is not sure if it is imagined or a real memory. She asks if they can help her with that.

Back at Dr. Rawl’s office, Julia is looking at a strip of flashing lights, and she is recalling that day. He mom was angry with her because she lied about getting sweets at the candy shop, calling Julia her little liar. She went out into the street and she did see Tommy and he waved at her. Her mother told him to come back indoors. She was going back into bed and the doorbell rang and it was Tommy and he wanted to make sure she was OK. Later, as the detectives watch Julia’s video, Rawls said Julia said her dad sent Tommy away, but Julia still seems to be blocking something. Back in Rawls office, Julia recalls looking for her father but not being able to find her, and she is scared. She went out of the flat, and saw the basement light was on. She walked towards the door and opened the door, went down the stairs, and he father was there with his back to her. She says she saw Tommy and he has blood on his head and hair and is not moving, and he is on the ground at her father’s feet.

Later, at the office of James Steel (Ben Daniels), he and Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman) are watching Julia’s video. Phillips thinks Julia is not faking it, but Steel says they need to build a case on this evidence. Steel decides to talk to Julia, and she tells Steel and Phillips about her marital problems and problems with her dad. She says that night her father wasn’t angry he was crying, he was just sorry for himself. Steel says she hates her dad, doesn’t she? He continues to harp on her, saying it is a vendetta and she is just trying to punish him. Phillips looks concerned and Julia also is stunned. Julia said her father terrified her, but she yells that she wants him punished for what he did to Tommy. Steel apologizes, and hopes she understands why he had to press her in that manner. Steel says they can work on building the case.

In George Castle’s (Bill Paterson) office, Castle tells them Julia’s information alone is nothing. They know they have to corroborate Julia’s story. Later, Phillips tells Steel that Mortimer wants to come in with a lawyer, Julia called her father and told him what was going on.

In Steel’s office, Vernon and Catherine Mortimer are there with a lawyer Doug Greer (Colin Salmon), and they say she is lying, and they have done nothing but take care of her and he pays the lease on her shop. Vernon says he is worried sick about her, and are they really going to put him through this? His lawyer argues that they have nothing and the witness has zero credibility. After they leave, Steel can’t believe that Catherine is defending her husband and their reputation in the manner that she was. Phillips tells him that Mortimer got sacked from Ladbroke Life and Casualty in 1986, no one will tell her why.

Phillips heads to Ladbroke CEO and talks to him about Vernon Mortimer. He says he was a good salesman, but sacked him over his “demons.” He said they did a job once in Birmingham and he and Vernon stopped and Vernon went to the loo, and he went to a bar and had a few too many. The next thing he knew, Vernon was with a policeman. A 13-14 year old boy said Vernon made a pass at him. Later, at another location, Phillips talks with Kevin Jackson (James Puddephatt), who was the young boy in question, and he said he was just “experimenting” at the time, and said Vernon offered him money in exchange for sex. The police took a statement, but it never went to trial because his parent’s didn’t want to go to trial, his parents suspected he was gay, but he didn’t want the neighbors know he was hanging around station toilets. He had to see a shrink instead.

Back in Castle’s office, he tells Steel and Phillips that the judge won’t allow Kevin Jackson’s evidence as it was sexual conduct, not violence. He says they need to let it go but Steel doesn’t want to. Castle says he’s an old man and a pillar of the community, but Phillips argues that Mortimer was 39 and strong at the time Tommy was killed. Steel continues to press the issue but Castle isn’t buying it. Castle gets a call, it’s Dr. Rawls for Steel.Later, in Steel’s office, Rawls she tells them that Julia recalled more. She plays back the recording while Julia stands by, listening, getting upset. She is saying that her father kissed her on the lips and stroked her under her nightdress and she told her mother. He mother told her never to tell anyone about it. She thinks her father then targeted Tommy.

At the trial of Crown v Mortimer, Vernon Mortimer pleads not guilty and is allowed out on bail. Afterwards, Julia barges into Steel’s office area and she says she wants to pull out of the trial. Steel says she can’t, they have gone too far. She says her mother is worried what this is doing to her father, and Steel thinks Julia’s mother is manipulating her. When Julia storms away, she walks into Tommy’s mother, who is waiting outside the office area. Julia apologizes to Tommy’s mother Phillipa, and Phillipa tells Julia her father helped her search for Tommy, yet all the time he knew. She knows Tommy would never go into the basement alone because there were monsters in there. She begs Julia to help her, and Julia agrees.

While walking to court, Steel is approached by Mortimer’s lawyer Mr. Greer, who tells Steel that Julia spent last summer in an institution.

In court, Phillipa Keegan is testifying, and says that Mortimer would arrange treats for Tommy and take him to plays. She was happy that Tommy had a father figure. Under cross examination, Greer reminds her that she never told the police, because she trusted Vernon at the time, and she didn’t know. Greer says maybe there was nothing to know.

Back outside the courthouse in the rain, the Greer, along with Mortimer, brings out the fact that Julia is a mess and he will demolish her in the witness box. Steel says she’s doesn’t trust anyone, and of her father cared he would confess. He says he loves her she is his daughter, and Steel tells him not to look to him for absolution. As Steel walks off, Mortimer shouts at him not to walk away from him, he doesn't t know him.

Back at trial, Julia is on the stand, recalling the day Tommy disappeared. She said she was also not well that day and went to bed early, but later went outside and say the basement light was on. When she looked in she saw her father in the basement with Tommy lying there in blood. He said her father saw her and shouted at her to go back to bed, and ran after her up the stairs with his eye bulging out. She ran into her bedroom. He later came into the bedroom and hugged her, saying that she just had a nightmare because she was ill, and if she told anyone about it, she would lose him forever. She recalled this information when she started recent therapy with Dr. Rawls. She also tells them she recalled her father’s sexual abuse when she was 7 years old, and when she told her mother, it stopped.

Greer brings up the fact that she had not seen her parents in a long time, and he begins to question the method that she recalled the event. He brings up her “delusions” of last year, and says she has always been resentful of her father. He thinks she is just getting revenge on her father, which upsets Julia, who shouts “He did it! That is why all my life he has been there watching me!” The lawyer brings up the fact her father forced her to have an abortion at 15, which made her sterile. Steel comments that this is hardly relevant, and the judge asks Greer what is his point. He says Julia is deeply unstable. She yells out at her mother, saying she told her but her mother blamed her, calling her a “dirty, precocious little whore” and she always took her father’s side. Greer says this is Julia’s motivation, she was just a spoiled child, who resents the bond between her loving parents. Vernon watches as Julia continues to break down, crying.

Later, Phillips thinks they have lost, but Steel thinks they have one last chance with Vernon. He watched Julia fall apart and is carrying guilt for all those years, how will he be under pressure?

Back at trial, Vernon Mortimer is on the stand. Steel picks at how he is hurting his daughter, and Mortimer has destroyed more than one family. Will he take responsibility for the damage he caused and be a father again? Mortimer looks ashamed, and then blurts out that he sexually assaulted his daughter when she was 7, it went on for four months, and Julia told her mother who threatened to call the police As the courtroom gasps, Greer tries to get him to stop or get the jury out of the room, but the judge says the jury will hear it. Mortimer says he did not know where to get help. He approached young boys in toilets. All he wanted to do was help Tommy after his father died and loved him like a son. He made him “do things” for him for 6 months in exchange for treats. Tommy wanted to stop, as it felt wrong. When he was in the basement Tommy said he was going to tell his mother. Vernon killed him with a hammer, hitting him just once. He didn’t want to lose his family. He put him inside the fireplace and bricked it up. Phillips Keegan cries out “my boy!” and Edward Connor, who is also there, claps.

Outside the rainy courthouse, Ronnie Brooks is walking with Phillipa Keegan when McFadden calls out to him, saying they got their man in the end. Ronnie asks, “We?” and McFadden walks off. Julia Mortimer also exits, and sees her mother, and asks her if she knew. She says that she just wanted them to be a family. Julia walks off, passing Connor, heading over to Phillipa, hugging her. Steel and Phillips exit, walking past Mortimer, hardly looking at her, as they fade to back.

NEW YORK – March 23, 2009 – Jeri Ryan, John Ashton and Delroy Lindo will guest-star on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Executive Producer Neal Baer announced today. The episode, titled "Baggage," premieres Tuesday, April 7th, 10:00p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

In "Baggage," the shocking death of an artist leads SVU detectives to a long string of murders by an untraceable serial killer. Delroy Lindo guest-stars as Victor Moran, a detective struggling to keep control of the case, and John Ashton guest-stars as Chief of Detectives Alan Fewkes. Jeri Ryan takes on the role of attorney Patrice Larue, and will reprise the character for two future episodes.

"Jeri Ryan's the real deal. She brings a compelling intensity to her roles and we're lucky to have her as a kick-butt attorney on SVU," said Baer.

Ryan's starring roles in television include the CBS drama Shark with James Woods, ABC's Boston Public, and UPN's Star Trek: Voyager. She also guest-starred in Boston Legal, The O.C. and Two and a Half Men.

Lindo last starred on television in the NBC drama Kidnapped, with Jeremy Sisto and Linus Roache. Film credits include This Christmas, Sahara, Domino, Romeo Must Die, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Ransom, Get Shorty and Malcolm X.

Ashton's film roles include Gone Baby Gone, Midnight Run and Beverly Hills Cop, and has starred in many television shows, including the Emmy Award winning miniseries I Know My First Name is Steven and the NBC series Hardball. He also stars in the upcoming film Middle Men with Luke Wilson, James Caan, Kelsey Grammer and Kevin Pollak.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is a Wolf Films production in association with Universal Media Studios. Dick Wolf is creator and executive producer; Neal Baer (NBC's ER, China Beach), Ted Kotcheff (Fun with Dick and Jane, Weekend at Bernie's) and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.

Friday, March 20, 2009

There has been a scheduling change for the franchise for the Week of March 22. The episode of Law & Order SVU titled “Hell” which was scheduled to air on March 24 has been shifted to March 31. This change was made to accommodate a televised press conference for President Barack Obama.

Law & Order UK “Buried” Air Date March 23, 2009 (Not aired in the U.S.)

Brooks and Devlin reopen a 25-year-old case when the bones of a young boy are found buried inside the wall of a communal basement. The victim's former best friend takes part in therapy to revisit her memory of the night he disappeared and reveals a shocking secret, but Phillips and Steel worry her claims will not convince a jury. Bradley Walsh, Jamie Bamber, Freema Agyeman and Ben Daniels star.

Law & Order “Anchors Away” Air Date March 25, 2009THE MURDER OF A TELEVISION REPORTER LEADS THE DETECTIVES TO A MAJOR HEDGE FUND FRAUD

While investigating the murder of television reporter Dawn Prescott (Guest Star Audra Blaser), detectives Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) and Bernard (Anthony Anderson) discover that she was involved in a love triangle involving another reporter at the station, Joe Lee. This leads them to another suspect, veteran anchor Joe Delaney (Guest Star David Rasche), who was threatened by the success of his younger co-workers and may have hacked into their email to gain an advantage. As they search for the killer, the detectives uncover that Dawn was working on a major story surrounding a huge hedge fund fraud and there may be a connection with the recent murder of Fred Decker, a whistle-blower who filed an SEC suit against a hedge fund owner. Show Cast: Sam Waterston, Alana De La Garza, Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson, S. Epatha Merkerson, Linus Roache

Thursday, March 19, 2009

This episode had plenty of twists and turns. What turned out to be a simple murder led them to an old espionage case. The case offered a few points of excitement: Lupo and Bernard having to gun down someone, and McCoy giving Cutter a dressing down. The first situation told us that one – or both – of the detectives need to work on their aiming skills. The second situation makes me wonder if Cutter doesn’t “get it”, or if Jack is just starting to feel the pressure of his office. Every time McCoy and Cutter go at it, I wonder if Jack is getting payback for all the times he gave Adam Schiff grief. Of course, when Jack was in the EADA spot and when he butted heads with Schiff, I tended to always feel bad for Jack when he lost the argument. Now, I still feel bad for him because Cutter seems to not want to play along, and he also doesn’t seem to argue as well as Jack did when he was in that job. Since they essentially are the same type of situations, just with different people, I chalk it up to the fact that Jack McCoy will always be a favorite of mine, and that Cutter just doesn’t have the eyebrows to pull off the angry outraged look.

I have to admit that once Garvik’s daughter seemed to show such hatred for her father that I suspected she had more involvement in the case that the police and detectives thought. As a result, the ending almost seemed anticlimactic. It was good to see Jack and Mike do the old “kiss and make up” routine and seem to be on good terms again. Well, that is, until Jack needs to beat Cutter over the head for some other case.

If I get more pictures, I will add them later.

Here is the recap:Two men are arguing at some sort of art show. Two men are arguing, one, Alex Boone (Neal Jones), refuses to help the other, the other man throwing wine in his face. An Asian woman offers to get the man more napkins. Later, Boone is found dead in the park, two shots to the head with shell casings from a 22. Detectives Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) and Bernard (Anthony Anderson) find that he has no wallet, there is a strap from a shoulder bag, and his hands and knuckles look all beat up. A witness who was out walking his dog ducked to avoid getting shot, and he only saw a blur as the shooter ran off.

Later, ME Rodgers (Leslie Hendrix) says the victim's hands appear to have had many breaks in them and he has scars down his back. Some of the breaks are old. Fingerprints have identified him as Alex Boone. They head to his last known address, the Ellesmere Hotel, where the find that his life is very structured and he hoards food as if he was used to life in an institution, but he has no prison record. He has some Chinese books there, and Bernard finds a napkin from the Sino-American Institute, and they head there. It is an art gallery showing all kinds of Chinese Art. The woman Miss Kang (Cindy Cheung) who offered to get Boone more napkins the day the wine was thrown at him, says he was there, arguing with another man wearing a sweatshirt that had the words “Concordia City College” written on it. They ask for a copy of the gallery’s invitation list. With what seems to be an interest that Boone had in China, they wonder if he had been over there.

Back at the 2-7, Lt. Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson) tells them the sweatshirt is not much to go on, and Bernard tells her the other man seemed to be a walk in to the art showing. Lupo says Boone’s passport shows he had been in China for a while, returning in June ’08, and they suspect he may have been in a Chinese prison. Van Buren tells them to check with international legal aid

At the Lawyers International Assistance, they find Boone had been in a Chinese jail, officially for espionage, unofficially for writing a piece on the displacement of people from the Three Gorges Dam than the Chinese did not like. Boone wanted to sue the Chinese government, and they also find he had a wife, but they were separated. They head to her apartment and the landlord tells them she goes by the name of Lisa, and left the night before and she asked him to water her plants. They see a picture of her and recognize her as Miss Kang from the art gallery. The landlord says he thinks the woman got scared when he told her about the skip tracer. A man kept ringing for her, all he saw was a man with a mustache jump into a black town car. They find she has a cousin in Hackensack who always sends her some stinky herbs.

They bring Liu Kang in to be questioned. She seems worried and when she mumbles something in Chinese, she is surprised when Lupo understands her and says no one is going to kill her. She says she waited for Alex in China, they came back to the US and got married to start a new life, but he had anger issues and couldn't get writing jobs. He asked to meet with her the day at the gallery, and she was supposed to meet him the day she got shot, but she was late and when she arrived she saw him dead on the ground. She saw a man with a mustache flee. She says the Chinese government was after Alex for what he was writing and thinks they killed him.

From behind the interrogation room window, they suspect that Boone’s missing computer may support the story that someone didn’t like what Boone was going to expose. They think the man was a livery driver. Van Buren suggests that someone who would kill in broad daylight likely has a record and they should check that out.

Later, as they seem to be staking out a place waiting for whom they think is the driver in question, they see him walking out and they call out as they approach him. The man begins to cough and bends over, and the Lupo yells for him to show his hands. The man pulls out a gun and makes the move to fire, Bernard yells “gun!” and Lupo and Bernard take him down with several shots of their own. As they look at the man laying dead, Bernard states dryly, “Bad cough.”

Back at the 2-7, Van Buren returns the detectives' guns and tells them they were cleared in the shooting. The detectives found the limo driver was Mike Adams (David Shumbris), who has been in and out of prison for 20 years. His bullets match those that killed Boone. There is no trace of Boone’s computer. They checked Adam’s cell phone records the day before he killed Boone and they have a outbound call to a David Sutton, and his number comes back to student housing for Concordia City College – the same name on the sweatshirt of the man arguing with Boone at the gallery. Van Buren tells them to check him out. She also tells them that only four of their shots hit Adams, so one of them needs more time on the range.

They visit with David Sutton (Michael Esper) at the college, who says Boone called him about baseball cards. He was not at the Sino-American Institute. Lupo takes his picture before Sutton leaves. Back at the 2-7, Van Buren shows the picture to Liu Kang, who doesn’t know who it is, saying they all look alike. When she leaves, Bernard comes in with Lupo and tells her they found that David Sutton's name used to be David Garvik, his father was Martin Garvik, convicted of espionage in 1998 for passing defense software to the Chinese. He was convicted for life, and his wife committed suicide. He and his sister Tracey went to live with other relatives and their names were changed. They found he has a been on the web with a campaign to clear his father’s name. They wonder if this is what Boone was writing about. They also find that Mike Adams was arrested to assault in 1999 for hitting a news photographer who was trying to take pictures of the Garvik children outside the home of Martin Garvik, and Adams had said he was the friend of the Garvik family. Van Buren suggests they talk to the Feds to see if they can get in to talk to Martin Garvik.

At the medical ward of the Danbury Federal Prison, they meet with Martin Garvik (Keith Carradine) and his attorney Mr. Vick (Stephen Singer). Garvik is ill. Garvik’s wife was an attorney who helped Adams once pro bono, and Adams stayed in contact with his kids. He said that the Feds killed his wife and trumped up the espionage charges, ruining his life. When they ask him about Alex Boone being shot by Adams, and the day before Adams had called David, Garvik says now they are trying to frame his son. When Lupo refers to him as a traitor, Garvik says he did not turn on his country, his country turned on him. But he says he will walk out of jail an innocent man.

Later, Lupo and Bernard talk to David’s sister Tracey Meegan (Monica West), and she tells him her dad’s lawyer warned her not to talk to them. It is clear that she does not agree with her brother about her father’s innocence and blames her father for her mother’s death.

The detectives approach Judge Lasky (Iris Little-Thomas) directly for a search warrant for David’s dorm, using the fact that the judge’s daughter goes to the same college. She must grant it to them, because we then see them searching David’s dorm. They find a receipt for the Sino-American Institute, and David says he was there after Boone was killed. A flash drive shows pictures David had apparently taken of Boone and his wife. They arrest him.

At the jail, EADA Michael Cutter (Linus Roache) and ADA Connie Rubirosa (Alana De La Garza) are there with David and his attorney (J. Smith Cameron). The attorney said David wouldn’t behave in the manner they suggest to protect his dad. But when Cutter comments that maybe there was more bad information about Martin Garvik, David becomes enraged, and Cutter implies that this behavior only proves the prosecution’s argument. He offers murder 2, 15 years to life, and the attorney declines, moving for an immediate trial.

Later Cutter’s office, over Chinese food, DA Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) voices concern that they don’t have enough to go to trial. Cutter says he can stonewall her, and that the evidence is overwhelming, and McCoy responds “ So why am I feeling underwhelmed?” Cutter thinks there won’t be direct physical evidence of his involvement with Mike Adams. McCoy wonders who else besides his sister he would have talked to about Boone, and they think that if David was talking to his dad with the attorney there, David would not feel if he was being monitored.

In the chambers of Judge Lasky, Rubirosa and Cutter show that Vick was in on phone calls with David and Martin all patched in together, which negates any attorney/client privilege. Vick admits he was on the line with both of them. The judge rules in the prosecution’s favor and orders Vick to answer questions about those calls. Vick makes an argument against it, and Cutter says if he stipulates he was not privy that anything that was said about the murder of Boone, he is OK with it, but Vick says he can’t make that claim. The judge wants to hear what was said about it. He said David was worked up about what Boone was writing and that it would undermine his efforts to clear his father. He said Martin tried to calm David, but that David said Boone should be “shot down like the dog he was.” He took that as a figure of speech not actual intent.

Outside the courthouse, Tracey approaches Cutter and Rubirosa and she asks to talk to them about David, that he couldn’t have killed anybody. She says she knows things about what her dad did, she has papers that the FBI never found and can prove her father was a spy. Cutter says the government already proved this and espionage is out of their jurisdiction. She knows her brother didn’t commit the murder, but Cutter says they can’t help her. She says he just doesn’t want to help, but the same people who convicted her father will help, and she walks off.

Later, at the offices of the US Attorney (Matt Servito), Cutter and Rubirosa are told that Tracey had called them that morning. She showed them what she had. Cutter is upset that they just want their hands on information for a man they already convicted. But the US Attorney reminds them about the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case from the 1950s who were executed for espionage, the case was controversial. They think that Garvik's death in prison will only bring out the conspiracy theorists. Cutter says they plan to proceed with their case, and that Martin Garvik is not their problem. But the attorney gets a message, and tells Cutter Garvik is his problem now, it seems his boss just had a conversation with Cutter’s boss.

Back in McCoy’s office, McCoy tells Cutter to make am offer tonight as his evidence is weak. They argue, and we get this exchange:

Cutter: You wanna tell me why we’re carrying water for the Feds?

McCoy: It’s called banking an IOU which I can use in the Delacroix bank fraud case, where we’ll need the Fed’s help. I don’t know how to break this to you Mike, but yours is not the only case on my plate.

Cutter: Trade leniency for a murderer for help with a fraud case.

McCoy, agitated: A 2 billion dollar fraud case, and your murderer still goes to prison. That’s the kind of math I have to do in this job!

McCoy’s phone rings, and he tells the caller he appreciates the heads up. He tells Cutter, calmly, that this could all be moot, David Sutton’s attorney is seeking a TRO in Federal court to prevent his sister turning over those documents. As he walks away, Cutter sarcastically comments that he guesses that means Sutton doesn’t want McCoy’s deal. Jack says, ‘I want that IOU, Mike.” When Cutter asks if that is an order, McCoy calmly says it’s an assignment.

In US District Court, the US Attorney and David’s attorney argue who has the right to the documents. David’s attorney said they were given joint custody, the US Attorney says that David “abandoned” the papers and left them with Tracey. Cutter argues that they are needed for evidence in a murder case. The judge rules that the papers are Tracey’s. Cutter then approaches David’s attorney, and he makes an offer which she refuses.

Later, in Cutter’s office, McCoy enters and tells him the US Attorney was very impressed, and Cutter says, “I live to serve.” Cutter tells him the attorney passed on the deal, but McCoy doesn’t care as the Feds still got the papers and he got his IOU. Rubirosa is looking at the papers and sees that they are the icing on the cake of his father’s espionage case. But Cutter is served with papers that tell him the defense is adding Martin Garvik to his witness list, stipulating it was he who hired Mike Adams to shoot Boone, not his son.

In court with Martin Garvik on the stand, it appears that the defense and Cutter, Rubirosa, and the US Attorney are arguing about Garvik testifying. There appear to be security issues about what Garvik can say, and even though the judge suggested the courtroom be closed, Cutter is worried that the jury will still hear it. He calls it perjured testimony, and when the judge says Cutter doesn’t know that it is perjury, he says a proffer is in order, that the judge should hear the testimony herself and then decide. She agrees with Cutter.

In the closed court, Garvik admits that he got a letter from Boone saying Boone had proof he was a spy, and Garvik confirmed he was a spy. It this got out, it would ruin his son’s efforts to free him from prison, so he got a prepaid cell phone and called Mike Adams to arrange to kill Boone, get his computer, and destroy the manuscript. Under cross, Garvik admits he flushed the letter and that he doesn’t recall who have him the smuggled cell phone. He admits he lied about not being a spy. Cutter says now he has nothing to lose by lying for his son. He says he did not make it up, his Chinese informant had a large port wine birthmark on his neck and his name was Wong Chu. Cutter continues to press Garvik about his motives. The judge then rules for Cutter and precludes Garvik’s testimony.

Back at the DA’s office, McCoy compliments Cutter for how he handled everything. When Cutter tells him David’s lawyer wants the deal, McCoy says it’s off the table, Cutter commenting he’s glad to hear it. Cutter walks over to Rubirosa, and tells her McCoy said the deal is off the table, and she says that’s good since that’s what Cutter already told the attorney. Rubirosa has been going through the papers David’s sister turned over to the Feds. In a page that was a fragment from a computer file, she found the initials WC (Wong Chu?) and a code which may the medical term for a port wine birthmark and a possible notation for his right hand. But Garvik testified the birthmark was on Chu’s neck. Cutter doubts Garvik would forget the location of that birthmark.

Cutter and Rubirosa visit Boone’s wife Liu, and they ask about the birthmark. She recalls a picture Alex had been looking at picture of a group of men with a trade delegation from China, and he said it was research. He pointed out an ugly man who had a face like a frog who had a stain on his hand. Alex asked a strange question, about why did the Chinese send such an ugly man to meet with a beautiful white lady, and Alex had added that the Chinese government was very smart and they did not want romantic complications. Alex did not give her the name of the lady, but that he met her daughter and she was very pretty like her mom – the looked like sisters.

Later, Rubirosa calls someone and tells them they are stuck in the subway (that doesn’t seem to be where they are really at) and asks the judge for a delay. They are told they have to be there by 1:00. Cutter is worried that they convicted the wrong guy, and that the murderer may not be a guy at all. He brings up a picture of Tracey and her late mother and there is a resemblance. Cutter decided to call the Feds and the Sutton’s lawyer for a plea conference.

In the conference room at he DA’s office, David and his attorney and David’s sister are there. They also bring in Martin Garvik. They show him a photo of a Chinese trade delegation with the man with the birthmark on his hand. Garvik says he has never seen any of these men. When they point out Chu, they also tell Garvik he can’t identify him because he never met the man or passed any secrets to him. When Garvik remains silent, Tracey tells her father to keep his mouth shut, and tells David not to believe what her father says. Garvik says that his wife's parents were missionaries and she had a great love for the Chinese. She felt sorry for them and took files from his computer and passed them to the Chinese. When he got arrested he and his wife decided it would be better if he took the rap. When he got sentenced to life without parole, it was too much for her and she killed herself. He kept his silence after her death. This is what Boone had found out – it was wife who passed the secrets. David, looking upset, says his father said Boone had evidence against him that would put the nail in his coffin. Garvik never thought he would kill Boone, but David said it wasn’t him, he thought his father killed Boone. Cutter adds that they think neither one of them killed Boone, and puts the focus on Tracey. Things begin to fall apart for Tracey as they present their evidence, and she admits that he couldn’t let Boone destroy everything about her mom. She sobs and apologizes to her father.

Later, Cutter tells McCoy he withdrew the charges from David Sutton and he passed along what he had to the US Attorney and they might review Martin Garvik’s case but McCoy may have to call his friend in Washington. McCoy says he will cash in his IOU. The daughter’s lawyer is pressing for a deal, and they are waiting for Jack’s instructions. McCoy tells him his instructions are for Cutter to do what he thinks is right. Cutter grins and walks out, leaving McCoy sitting on the couch as we fade to black.